Jan. 30 at 4:57 PM
American Express has delivered strong long-term returns, supported by resilient spending from its affluent customer base and growing engagement from younger cardholders. Despite slightly missing fourth-quarter earnings expectations, the company posted higher net income year over year and continued steady revenue growth driven by travel, dining, and everyday spending.
An investment of
$1,000 in American Express stock five years ago would be worth about
$3,189 today, reflecting a gain of nearly 219%. Over the same period, the S&P 500 returned about 87.6%. American Express has also outperformed over longer horizons, with a
$1,000 investment 20 years ago growing to more than
$7,200.
The company’s premium positioning has helped it weather slower overall consumer spending and absorb higher annual fees on its Platinum cards without major retention issues. While shares are down roughly 3% so far in 2026, American Express continues to benefit from a wealthier, more creditworthy customer base
$AXP